Posts Tagged ‘wine categories’
I Love French Wine and Food – An Alsace Pinot Noir
January 14th, 2010 | 
Author: If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Alsace region of northeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that youll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Pinot Noir wine.
Among Frances eleven wine-growing regions Alsace ranks number ten in total acreage devoted to vineyards, perhaps because it is the smallest region of metropolitan France. In any case Alsace is one of Frances best-known wine regions. The wine growing area is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) long, but at most 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide. Their wine bottles are distinctively tall and thin. Chaptalization (adding sugar to the fermenting grape mixture) is allowed for many wine categories. And unlike the standard practice elsewhere in France, the labels feature the grape variety.
Only about 5% of Alsace wine is red, mostly based on the Pinot Noir grape, so popular elsewhere in France and across the world, especially since the hit movie Sideways. We review an Alsatian Pinot Noir wine below. The major white grape varieties are Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. A companion article in this series reviews an Alsatian white wine.
Strasbourg is the major Alsatian city, with a population somewhat greater than a quarter million. The city dates back to Roman times, has bounced back and forth between France and Germany over the centuries, and is now the home of the European Parliament and is a symbol of French-German reconciliation and a united Europe.
The Alsace Route du Vin (Wine Route) stretches for about 100 miles (170 kilometers). You may want to start your exploration at Obernai, a city of about 10, 000 approximately 20 miles southwest of Strasbourg. Among the sights to see are the 13th Century Kapelturm Beffroi (Chapel Tower Belfry), a well dating back to the Renaissance, the City Hall, and the Market Square.
Obernai is a metropolis compared to the village of Riquewihr whose population is approximately 1200. Riquewihr is known for its ramparts, historic architecture, and souvenir shops. It also has great wines and the Tower of Thieves with its torture chamber.
Before reviewing the Alsatian wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Flammekueche (Tart stuffed with Bacon, Onions, Cream Cheese, and heavy Cream).
For your second course savor Coq-au-Riesling (Cock cooked in Riesling wine).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Quetschelkueche (Plum Tart).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Domaine Weinbach Pinot Noir Rserve 2004 13% alcohol about $34
Lets start by quoting the marketing materials. Full of Grace. Domaine Weinbach is among the most respected producers of Alsace. This delicate Pinot Noir is sourced from the ancient Clos des Capucins vineyard. Its deliciously fruity, soft and supple and pairs well with grilled tuna. And now for the review.
The first pairing was with beef stew. The wine was very round and full. It was long, multilayered and complex. A little bit went a long way. There were some spices. I usually taste tobacco in Pinot Noir, but not here. I didnt miss it.
I next paired this wine with cold salmon filet accompanied by a ketchup and mayonnaise sauce and pearl onions, and a tomato, cucumber, and red onion salad. The wine was very full and moderately long. This time I tasted tobacco. The combination was excellent. I tried the Pinot Noir with a slice of mint chocolate cake. I cannot recommend this combination; the cake denatured the wine. So I finished the cake before finishing the wine, and it bounced back.
My last meal associated with this wine consisted of filet of sole wrapped around salmon accompanied by two types of fried potatoes. The commercial fish preparation sounded much better than it actually was. The concoction took forever to cook and the final product was overcooked, undercooked, and waterlogged. Furthermore, there was so little salmon that it was hard to get an idea of its taste, or how it paired with this wine. However, we are reviewing the wine, not the meal itself. The fish did not adversely affect the wine. But I would rather savor this Pinot Noir in the presence of a nicely grilled salmon steak drizzled with lemon. I dont think I would be disappointed.
I tasted this wine with French Camembert cheese and German Limberger cheese. I dont recommend either combination. When paired with a fairly ripe Camembert the wine was no longer excellent. Interestingly enough, the wine did hold up better with the now pungent Limberger cheese, but why waste such a fine wine?
Final verdict. This is an excellent wine, but I feel that it costs more than it should. I doubt that I will buy it again; there are so many other Pinot Noirs on the market, if not all that many from Alsace.
Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger
Posted in 
Tags: 
I Love French Wine and Food – An Alsace Riesling
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Alsace region of northeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Riesling winetasted with several meals and paired with imported cheeses.
Alsace ranks tenth out of the eleven French winemaking regions in terms of its acreage devoted vineyards. But dont be mislead by statistics; little Alsace is a major producer of quality French wine. Its wine growing area is barely 60 miles (100 kilometers) long, and at most 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide tucked between the Vosges Mountains to the west and the Rhine River and Germany to the east. But this relatively tiny area is famous for its distinctive wines. Their wine bottles are also distinctive; tall and thin with labels that feature the grape variety, not the usual practice in France. Chaptalization (adding sugar to the fermenting grape mixture) is allowed for many wine categories.
About 95% of Alsace wine is white. The major white grape varieties are Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Riesling, reviewed below. Its secondary white grape varieties include Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, and Muscat. The major red grape variety is Pinot Noir, reviewed in a companion article in this series.
The beautiful Vosges mountains are located in eastern France near the Rhine River and Black Forest of western Germany. To a large extent they are composed of granite and red sandstone. Their highest point is the Grand Ballon (also called Ballon de Guebwiller) with an elevation of about 4600 feet (slightly more than 1424 meters). The vineyards of its eastern slopes have an elevation of up to 1300 feet (400 meters).
The Vosges mountains are great for tourists. Attractions include beautiful forests, several castles in ruins, and health resorts. If you are so inclined you can hike their usually gentle slopes and are never far from vineyards and restaurants serving delicious foods and local wines. After all, you are on the Alsace Wine Route, at least for the eastern slopes. Dont forget the winter skiing. The southern Vosges, near the village of Bussang, is home to a lovely fountain exploiting a spring that originates in the Moselle River. I hope you dont mind that this particular area is just over the border in Lorraine.
Before reviewing the Alsatian wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Schniederspaetle (Onion Ravioli).
For your second course savor Brochet dI a la creme (Pike in White Wine and Cream Sauce).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Strudel aux Pommes (Apple Strudel).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Hattstatty Hatschbourg Riesling 2003 12.5% alcohol about $21.00
Lets start by quoting the marketing materials.
This wine won a Gold Medal at the 2006 Concours Riesling du Monde. Established in 1998, the Concours Riesling du Monde (Rieslings of the World) competition takes place every year in Strasbourg, Alsace. Rieslings from throughout the world are submitted to an international jury of oenologists and wine critics. This hugely respected competition illustrates the diversity and brilliance of fine Riesling from around the world. And now for the review.
My first meal consisted of home made barbecued chicken in a sweet and sour Thai sauce with Portabello mushrooms and red pepper. The wine was fruity, nice and complex. It was quite a good match and I knew that this would be a quality wine.
The next shot was a commercially barbecued chicken leg (of course not as tasty as my own barbecued chicken) with its skin in a paprika sauce accompanied by, Turkish salad, and Greek olives. I started by sipping the wine alone, as I was afraid that I might have lost the bottle because the wine sat in the fridge for quite some time. No problem. This Riesling wine was fine with an appely taste but in the positive sense. In response to the food the wine got even better. It was quite long and powerful and yet delicate. While I liked the Greek olives and I liked the wine, I did not enjoy the two together. The Rieslings acidity actually intensified in the presence of the moderately spicy Turkish salad. I finished my glass with overripe cherries. This time the wine went flat, especially with the sweet ones.
The final meal was an omelet with a local Provolone cheese and a side of Turkish salad. The wine was nice and crisp. I tasted a touch of lime. As dessert I had a high-quality chocolate-coated vanilla ice cream bar. The ice cream bar was fine but it did flatten the wine somewhat.
My first cheese was a nutty, fatty, and slightly sour Dutch Edam cheese. My German Edam was well beyond edible by humans, although the spores looked like they were having a real feast. Anyway, in the presence of this Dutch Edam the Riesling was round and fruity, with pleasant acidity. In the presence of an Italian Friulano cheese the wine became sour and flatter.
Final verdict. Great wine, I will buy it again and watch my pairings more closely. This should accompany very well the right gourmet meal.
Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: US Dollar credit card
